Category: Blog

Today I have a great guest, Richard Bowie. Richard emailed me about his challenges living with a cerebral hemorrhage in 2001, which resulted in a near death experience, brain damage, and frequent falls due to balance loss. I wanted to speak to Rick about how he has handled this very difficult event in his life. Here is our conversation. Richard Bowie (aka “Rick”) I live on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. I am interested in Health and Fitness (especially recovery and rehabilitation); and assisting others as they move through life’s transitions (health/sickness, bereavement, moving house and home, redundancy and retirement); I am a qualified Personal Life Coach, and help others to develop Personal Life Skills useful for travelling through life; and Spiritual Coaching – developing the “art of making connections” with themselves and those around, with the environment, with life, and with “the Other”. I have had a varied working career, from labouring, through advertising, to teaching and lecturing in pastoral care and offering personal life coaching. I was awaqrded a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate in 1995. I retired from active ministry as an Episcopal Parish Priest in 2001 as a result of a devastating cerebral haemorrhage. Throughout my career, I have relied on refined listening skills to hear and understand the goals and aspirations of many who sought my advice, assisting them with creating a powerful strategies for achieving...

Today we’re going to look at endurance. As you know endurance is part of the four pillars of senior fitness. And that includes strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. Endurance is one of the areas that’s frequently overlooked by seniors. This is because as a senior we mostly need strength and balance if we want to be independent. We generally don’t think of our heart and lungs unless we have a chronic condition like COPD or asthma. Endurance training is important because this is how we strengthen our heart and lungs. Endurance training improves the ability of our heart to...

In today’s post I use some props to demonstrate the benefits of exercise. As I have said many times on eldergym.com, and in many email questions, we must be consistent with exercise or the benefits will eventually disappear. How is that possible? Watch this video and I will explain everything. Here are all the benefits of exercise that I mention in this video: Increased flexibility and range of motion Increased balance and coordination Increased aerobic endurance Better sleep Better brain and cognitive function Increased resistance to disease Better fat to lean body composition Better Posture Helps fight osteoporosis Improved...

Patrick LoSasso, CSCS*D, is a trainer and an internationally recognized authority on Parkinson’s exercise. He consults with medical professionals and trainers, sharing his unique and evidence based methods to improve health and function for people living with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions. A trainer and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction, Patrick integrates secretly held techniques used by top athletic trainers and coaches to prepare their elite athletes for competition, and applies these principles to his rehabilitative exercise program for Parkinson’s Disease. Patrick’s brand of exercise is titled SmartXPD, an acronym: Strength, Mobility, Agility, Reaction, Technique, eXercise, representing just...

Some of the reasons seniors fall is due to walking on what we call uneven terrain. This may be in your back yard stepping over a hose, or in your garage walking over the threshold at the door. It is important to be able to lift your feet and step over objects without losing your balance. Today we will go over some exercises geared to work on lifting your feet and stepping on a soft surface. Watch the video and follow along with the exercises. To make your own balance beam, take a blanket, fold it longways until you...